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The Founding of Boko Haram
Muhammed Yusuf founded Boko Haram, which roughly translates to "Western Education is Forbidden", in Maiduguri, a region in northeastern Nigeria. He, as a preacher of Islam, wanted to establish Sharia Law in the region. His frustrations with colonial influence in the region led him to form the group. Mapping Militant Organizations 2018 -
Boko Haram's First Attack in Northeastern Nigeria
Boko Haram attacked and occupied two police stations in, Geiam and Kanamma, two villages in the northeastern Yobe State in Nigeria. The occupation lasted several days and ended with the police and military killing 18 Boko Haram members and injuring dozens more. Mapping Militant Organizations 2018 -
The Capturing of Mohammed Yusuf
Boko Haram went on a series of attacks in Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria. The group set fire to multiple public buildings, including police stations, a jail, and churches. This attack is what led to the capturing of Muhammed Yusuf, along with many other members of Boko Haram. Three days after this event, Muhammed Yusuf was executed. Mapping Militant Organizations 2018 -
The Founding of Ansar Dine
Iyad Ag Ghaly founded Ansar Dine, which means "Defenders of the Faith", in Northern Mali. The organization's goal was to establish Sharia law and had close ties with the Tuareg people, as Ag Ghaly as well as other higher-up members of the organization, were of Tuareg ethnicity. Mapping Militant Organizations 2018 -
Abuja Police HQ Bombing
Boko Haram performed its first suicide bombing attack when the group bombed the Abuja Polc HQ over two people. While the attack was a failure, it was Nigeria's first suicide bombing and set a trend for Boko Haram, which is now famous for its high-casualty suicide bombing. BBC 2011 -
Tuareg Rebellion
This rebellion occurred in Northern Mali. Support from different terrorist groups, like Boko Haram and AQIM, helped Ansar Dine successfully gain territorial control of parts of Northern Mali. This was also the group's first major attack. Keenan 2012 -
Establishment of Sharia Law in Northern Mali
After Ansar Dine and allied rebels gained control of Northern Mali, including the cities Timbuktu, Kidal, and Gao, they established Sharia Law as the new form of government. These laws banned alcohol, smoking, and soccer and forced women to wear veils when in public. By establishing Sharia Law and controlling territory, Ansar Dine successfully achieved its abstract and strategic goals. Mapping Militant Orgaizations 2018 -
Ansar Dine Ceasefire
In an attempt to get humanitarian aid to the people of Northern Mali, Ansar Dine negotiated a ceasefire with the Malian government. This ceasefire highlights other strategic political tactics that Ansar Dine used beyond violence. However, Ansar Dine refused to remove Sharia Law, and the ceasefire ended in January 2013, when both sides accused each other of hostility. BBC 2013 -
French Intervention in Mali: Operation Serval
This operation was led by the French military and made to protect the small population of French civilians being put at risk through the political turmoil in Mali. Operation Serval was the first international militaristic intervention in Mali and sparked more operations from the international community including MINUSMA. [Mapping Militant Organizations 2018](https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu/mappingmilitants/profiles/ansar-dine -
UN Declared Ansar Dine to be a Terrorist Organization
This event caused the UN to freeze the assets of the organization and start an official and well-funded operation that would help deescalate the situation in Northern Mali. Roggio 2013 -
MINUSMA Peacekeeping Mission Establishment
The UN established the peacekeeping mission MINUSMA to deescalate the situation in Mali and help the government take back terrorist land. This mission included international support in terms of funding, military personnel, peacekeeping civilian personnel, and an increase in security. UN Peacekeeping 2020 -
Chibok Schoolgirl Kidnapping
One of the most well known Boko Haram attacks is the kidnapping of over 275 schoolgirls from a school in Chibok, a town in northeastern Nigeria. This attack caused outrage in the international community and over the course of the last 6 years, many negotiations have led to the return of many of the girls. However, despite these efforts, over 100 girls are still missing. Mbah 2019 -
United Nations Labeled Boko Haram as a Terrorist Organization
This label allowed the UN to sanction the group and declare any financial support for the organization to result in more drastic consequences. This opened the course for more international aid and Boko Haram was officially tied to Al-Qaeda at this time. UN 2014 -
The End of Operation Serval
At the end of French military intervention, Ansar Dine was weakened. The operation was considered a success, as the territory was returned to the government, and the French civilians in the area were safe. Shurkin 2014 -
The Baga Village Massacre
Between the 3rd and the 7th of January, Boko Haram attacked Baga, a village in the northeastern Nigerian Borno state, and massacred over 2,000 people. Additionally, over 30,000 people fled their homes with roughly 7,500 of those displaced people fleeing to Chad. This attack was Boko Haram's highest casualty attack. Belfast Telegraph 2015 -
Boko Haram Pledges Allegiance to the Islamic State
Because Boko Haram, a relatively big terrorist organization, pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, the global community had growing concerns about the connections of resources among the groups. With these powerful groups combining sources, Boko Haram was able to acquire newer technology, learn new attack tactics, gain support in the international terrorist community, and get more manpower to fight the Nigerian government.
BBC 2015 -
Ansar Dine's Final Attack in the Timbuktu Region
Ansar Dine forces temporarily gained control of a guard post and claimed to capture and destroy a lot of military resources, such as vehicles and machine guns. This attack was the group's last before disbanding in 2017. Mapping Militant Organizations -
The "Disbanding" of Ansar Dine
Members of Ansar Dine disbanded and joined forces with AQIM and other forces in the West African region to form Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin. This created a more concerning terrorist force in the Sahel region, especially Mali, and led to increases in peacekeeping operations' support and funding. Mapping Militant Organizations 2018 -
The Destruction of the Bukarti Village: The Nigerian Government's Violation of Human Rights
The Nigerian military arrived late in the morning to Bukarti, a village in Northern Nigeria, and gathered all the villagers into the main road. The soldiers set fire to their homes and took them to Maiduguri, where they were told they were "saved from Boko Haram" and left to fend for themselves. Amnesty International 2020
